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Idle No More Sweeps Canada and Beyond as Aboriginals Say Enough Is Enough

David P. Ball

12/22/12

The second wave of Idle No More protests swept across Canada on Friday December 21, with support events held across the U.S. and as far away as Europe and New Zealand, less than two weeks after the movement burst onto the political scene on December 10.

Indigenous activists used social media websites to organize round dances, highway blockades, protests and ceremonies from east to west of the country, as Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence entered her 10th day of a hunger strike that she has vowed to see through to the end.

Thousands of people turned out for social media-organized flash mobs—seemingly spontaneous assemblies in malls and other public places—in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and beyond, and rallies criticized not only the federal omnibus budget bill C-45, which passed into law this week, but also the wider living and rights conditions that aboriginal peoples are subject to.

Ryerson University Indigenous Governance professor Pamela Palmater, Mik'maq, attended the 4,000-person rally on Parliament Hill, the largest of the Idle No More events.

“Being in Ottawa at the rally, amongst thousands of our brothers and sisters from indigenous nations all over Canada, dancing, singing and drumming was a spirit-filling moment for me,” she told Indian Country Today Media Network. “You could feel the pride in our peoples standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our future generations. The energy was palpable and you could feel that our ancestors walked with us. The wind blowing through our Nations' many flags was symbolic of our collective strength. Despite the cold, snow and wind, the spirit that has been relit in our peoples has enough heat to keep us in this grassroots movement for the long haul.”

The mood was equally ebullient in Vancouver.

“Today my heart is full, because the shift is happening,” said Nuxalk and Six Nations artist Jerilynn Snuxyaltwa Webster, who raps under the name JB the First Lady. “Our people—our beautiful, indigenous people—are rising. I'm sick of colonization telling us that we are criminals, telling us that we're no good, telling us that we don't deserve what is ours. Stephen Harper: We're coming together. It's not just a flash mob. If our lady, Theresa Spence, passes away, we're showing the entire country what kind of power we have.”

Webster added that the Idle No More phenomenon is not merely aimed at a particular piece of legislation or even just the government.

“This movement, this uprising, is not for the Canadian government to talk with us,” she told a crowd gathered in Vancouver, B.C. “It's for us to come together to build unity, no matter what color the skin is, what your blood quantum is, what nation you come from, if you're treaty or non-treaty, status or non-status, Métis or Inuit. Those are the boxes they put us in—they try to divide and conquer us, but they haven't. We overcame acts of genocide; we are still here.”

Winnipeg, Manitoba, broadcaster and Anishnaabe musician Wab Kinew told Indian Country Today Media Network that Idle No More has grown from a reaction to Bill C-45, to a broader movement.

“Idle No More is definitely about indigenous rights, culture and sovereignty,” he said. “But the ideals that underlie it are ones that matter to all Canadians—they're about rights, freedom, the environment, preserving a positive environment for our children.”

And while C-45—a sprawling piece of legislation that reduces the number of referendum votes needed to give up reserve lands for development, and that critics say guts waterways protection—may have sparked the protests, it has unmasked a much deeper dissatisfaction.

“There are so many tensions and issues in the aboriginal community, the indigenous community,” Kinew said. “Missing and murdered women, poor health outcomes, poor education, poverty, social issues, racism, and on and on and on. Bill C-45 was the match, but it landed on a tinderbox or powder keg. Now you're seeing all these other issues come to the surface.”

The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations welcomed the growing movement.

“The Idle No More effort is growing like wildfire across the country,” National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo told ICTMN. “It's really a grassroots effort. It's First Nations and Canadians standing up, stepping forward, and saying that what's happening in this country—overstepping aboriginal title and rights, treaty rights, basic human rights, and the right to life and dignity, this pattern of mistreatment of First Nations—has to end.”

Mohawk political analyst Russell Diabo said that Idle No More has indeed tapped into a wellspring of discontent.

“Instinctively, they know what's wrong with what the Harper government's doing—pushing this suite of legislation—and they're reacting to it,” he told ICTMN. He added that he hoped aboriginals would use this momentum to educate themselves in depth about the issues they were protesting.

“There are certainly many more bills than C-45 that are amending the Indian Act and going to have an impact on aboriginal treaty rights for First Nations across Canada,” he said. “They need to be more articulate about how it really impacts them.”

Diabo, a policy advisor for several First Nations as well as editor and publisher of the newsletter First Nations Strategic Bulletin, warned that pending Indian Act amendments could lead to the “termination” of aboriginal title and rights by getting aboriginals to sign those rights away in negotiations with government. Rights would be further eroded by the introduction of individual, fee-simple land ownership on reservations.

“They're still using the Indian Act as the main statute to control and manage Indians with these new amendments, but also they have policy initiatives,” Diabo explained. “Basically their policies are one-sided polices that the federal government has drafted to interpret Section 35 of Canada's constitution about what's on the table and what's not on the table. They want to extinguish aboriginal title through these modern treaties.”

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AAND) denied that the government is attempting to extinguish or terminate indigenous rights.

“In fact, it was First Nations themselves who asked for these changes so that they could better use First Nations lands to improve the economies and self-sufficiency of their communities,” Jan O'Driscoll, spokesman for Minister John Duncan, told ICTMN. “There is a misconception that these amendments will allow a First Nation community to 'sell-off' First Nations land. This is false. These amendments are only about leasing and have nothing to do with surrendering reserve lands, and [they] allow First Nations to economically benefit from their lands and to manage them according to their by-laws. Any lands designated will still require chiefs and councils to consult their community members and gain their permission to take advantage of these new provisions.”

And while tens of thousands of people took to social media to broadcast their Idle No More events, the Alberta woman who began the Twitter hash tag said the movement's growth was overwhelming.

“All the photos and tweets I have been seeing all morning around the world for #IdleNoMore today has been truly and deeply the most humbling thing I have ever been a part of,” said Tanya Kappo, a a Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation member living in Edmonton. “The love and pride that shines so brightly through fills me with a joy so profound it makes me weep.”

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These guys founded Canada, so why are they so beaten down? It makes no sense. Quebec gets everything, why not these guys? Also, why can't they speak the languages anymore? Quebec still speaks French, so what happened to Mohawk and Ojibwe? Also, why don't we see our country as starting with these guys, since it actually did, instead of with Champlain. I love the French, but I think they pulled a number on us making us think they founded Canada and the Indians didn't. 1603 is a long time ago but 16,000 B.C. is a lot longer time ago! thank goodness for the Iroquois or we wouldn't even be here - we'd be a run down North US state of some kind, like Michigan. Thank God for the Iroquois, and the French should thank God for the Algonquins. Without these guys there would have been no Canada at all.

It is so important to consult and build relationships to our people, it must have substance and effort to work. We now see how our people are tiring of decisions made through politics taking away from our people daily. I am hopeful that these chain of events will show harper and his government that he must begin to act immediately...otherwise actions may cost his eventual downfall of his leadership and government.

What the minister's office is saying is only a half-truth. It's true that they intend to continue to protect reserve lands. However, reserves are only a small fraction of our ancestral territories and contain next to none of the resources with which we sustained ourselves prior to the advent of colonial administrations. Through such initiatives as the modern BC Treaty process they seek to extinguish Aboriginal title to our ancestral territories and access rights the most of the resources e need to restore an economy to ourselves that will support independent governance. We cannot be self-determining or self-governing if we are reliant on transfer payments from an external source. We need to generate our own revenue through direct access to resources and other economic opportunities.

CANADA is a de facto government operating under corporate , contract, laws merely a artificial state , under the law of flags , the so called canadian dominion flag sits a top the peace tower in parliament denoting it has no land and only has working relationships with the indian sovriegns (clanmothers) ,if the flag was planted in the ground CANADA would be a sovriegn and is only a colony (latin for farming community chatered to do business in the new world under laws of plunder and right of discovery) that went broke a few times and had to borrow money from her parent corporation the corpoation of the CROWN who had to go and borrow money off of the bank of england many times and CANADA was further developed into a dominion , not a sovriegn state.CANADA operates under what is called "assumed jurisdiction" we only consent or aquiese to these laws once we set foot into the commercial court system; ie, by simple acts of standing , bowing , kneeling , or taking off ur hat or as simple as walking in the door of the colonial court house , having a d.o.b( your artificial PERSON, s.i.n. #(your bond to work within the corporation) provincial drivers licence or paying any tax levied against you that the corporation of CANADA wants to apply to treaty signatories (sovriegn's), what should happen is a public notary should be sent in to serve and remind the corporate pirateship known as the dominion of CANADA that we do not consent to her jusisdiction and that CANADA is under ours and should be served notice forthwith and penalized and the other signatory parties to our treaties who are also bound by our international sovriegn accord should be served notice as well like the "crown" and that her agents and military might should be sent to protect the international treaties against the corporate pirateship known as CANADA and its privateers.
there should also be a" treaty implementation process" over seen by "treaty ambassadors"
all treaty ambassadors should demand a working relationship with its trustee and demand to see our financial books and audit of all financial interests done on our behalf

CANADA is a de facto government operating under corporate , contract, laws merely a artificial state , under the law of flags , the so called canadian dominion flag sits a top the peace tower in parliament denoting it has no land and only has working relationships with the indian sovriegns (clanmothers) ,if the flag was planted in the ground CANADA would be a sovriegn and is only a colony (latin for farming community chatered to do business in the new world under laws of plunder and right of discovery) that went broke a few times and had to borrow money from her parent corporation the corpoation of the CROWN who had to go and borrow money off of the bank of england many times and CANADA was further developed into a dominion , not a sovriegn state.CANADA operates under what is called "assumed jurisdiction" we only consent or aquiese to these laws once we set foot into the commercial court system; ie, by simple acts of standing , bowing , kneeling , or taking off ur hat or as simple as walking in the door of the colonial court house , having a d.o.b( your artificial PERSON, s.i.n. #(your bond to work within the corporation) provincial drivers licence or paying any tax levied against you that the corporation of CANADA wants to apply to treaty signatories (sovriegn's), what should happen is a public notary should be sent in to serve and remind the corporate pirateship known as the dominion of CANADA that we do not consent to her jusisdiction and that CANADA is under ours and should be served notice forthwith and penalized and the other signatory parties to our treaties who are also bound by our international sovriegn accord should be served notice as well like the "crown" and that her agents and military might should be sent to protect the international treaties against the corporate pirateship known as CANADA and its privateers.
there should also be a" treaty implementation process" over seen by "treaty ambassadors"
all treaty ambassadors should demand a working relationship with its trustee and demand to see our financial books and audit of all financial interests done on our behalf

I send my condolences to all the native peoples and add my support noeing full well that trouble is brewing as I right this comment F.E.M.A. has been moving in while we blindly celebrate Christmas all 22 of those executive orders will soon be in full effect including the dismantling or the American constitution God help us all ; I fight to the death and i'll stand by your side but the battle will be bloody make no mistake Canada has been sold down the tube by Harper to homeland securities ; internment camps are already in place and what Hitler did was nothing compared what is a head for we the people of North America ; Imagine at the stroke of a pen we can loose all pensions all status are loved ones, face depopulation orders ; Have our elders slaughtered our children taken from us It's a great thing to see a unity movement lets hope it isn't to late !

I do not Evan want to be anonymous I've already had 30 attempts on my life to arouse awareness to the fact that we must come to geather in Unity and it has been a long time coming ; this is not a time to pussy ft around it is a time for action ; I spend my life fighting for a cause that every one wants to slap each other on their backs for this is not a game look at me kind of deal I need attention sinarial ; I'm only part blood ignored by all sides but as surely as my name is Joseph A Stewart I am ready to die for this cause ; It is a war not a public show just to get attention but serious ; Time now to take a stand or we all die quit slapping one another on the back ; and get serious or I shall fluff you off like the seed of milk weed , let me see some action and not just words ; get off your oxys ; through away your marijuana these are serious times ; We the people have been sold out don't be caught up in theatrics this is war ; Want more write me thereckeningstewart@gmail.com cause we do not have time for wimps Lol

Canada has already fallen ; The French are all sissies ; The English and the french can't get their heads from between there legs because they are caught up with their own genitals ; Evan the Natives have become more interested in homosexuality then preserving the land I've went hunting with them they shoot every thing that moves Loons Hearings ducks ; its all a big drunk ; I've went fishing with them and seen how after they become drunk they leave their catch on stringers to die and bloute ; It is always I who clean any fish brought home ; the natives aren't any more capable to run this nation then any one else ; Still the movement is sound and I will stand with any one willing to take back this Country and if you really don't have it in you and all you really want is a show than say so I'll understand I am used to standing alone bone heads by Joseph A Stewart Scotch Huron and Welsh guy ; but not a coward you can reach me at thereckeningstewart@gmail.com ; I'm on international radio I'm not for you in particular but for those with spirit with heart with soul I need serious people who would die for this land to stand up and take it back

we will never know but maybe just maybe that was what the Mayan had predicted, that the indigenous people would rise up after December 12, 2012 and be recognized as the stewards of Turtle Island, and Ojibway do speak their language, the government does not recognize Indigenous lauguages in Canada, Harper is the scond coming of an evil dictator from the past, he wants to eradicate all First Nation people.

I'll bet you guy's are already monitoring these comments for political value only ; If you only want to be in a position to rule then you have already lost ; Like we need another greedy and stupid whining people at the helm to join in with the new world order going look at us aren't we something we should be in charge ;
In the mean time you already no that this power called the New world order is already in charge you become no more then a illusion more hype on the scene more distraction ; more confusion while the real power's that be aloud your effort to indulge a already beaten people and all for money and glory . You should just go home and p repair yourself s for the worst . I had thought maybe these people are prepared to take a stand ; but then I've been around and had dealings with Native people all my life and yes they are proud and the are arrogant they have also became rat just look at what is being displayed and what army would be afraid of such porkers ; We need a all out revolution not a bunch of colorful clowns . You will provide a fine distraction so the real enemy of this land can take over and you will likely make money selling out your own people and every one else as well good luck with that !

Please stop abusing one another and get along at some point to move forward. I believe both sides must come to an understanding or matter will get worst. Life is about love, peace, happiness, growth, and understanding unless one actually wants to live in another path. Wow, why does things need to go so far out of whack. I, as a Native American am worried about poverty and education. How can a person get educated if there is no sufficient resources!!!

I have had years of experience working with several bands. Responsibility starts at home and with First Nations leadership. Leadership has basically looted band and venture money provided by Canadian taxpayers. Chiefs and council members are millionaires at the expense of band members. I have personally seen land claim settlements in the hundreds of millions for very small bands squandered to nothing in only a few years.
Also natives need to take responsibility for electing these crooks to chief and council. They repeatedly re-elect and accept the actions of their leadership and blame their problems on the rest of society when actually the money transferred to Indian bands is very generous to meet their needs.
Natives also need to work and provide for themselves instead. Their culture of handouts must come to end so they become self sufficient. This will be hard for them but it must be done so they finally grow up and stop relying on everyone else to support them.
Finally, environmental consulting is just a roost to get their hooks into resource development in order not to work and perpetuate the culture that everyone owes them something. Handouts from resource development is determental to natives and keeps them sitting at home looking for the next handout.

The great thing about this movement is that it has really motivated me to research the history of treaties and many pieces of legislation that govern the relationship between the Crown and First Nations people.
The part I enjoy the most is that the Royal Proclamation Treaty is built entirely on the 'partnership' between East Coast First Nations and England to make this country proud, strong and very diverse from any other on this planet. This seems to be the theme driving most (I can not read them all) subsequent Treaties that were signed by BOTH parties.
This talk of "revolution" and "taking back the land" and "Harper is an evil dictator" is the exact opposite of everything the ancestors have worked their lives for. Be smart, act appropriately, do not detract from what this movement is about.
To the person who does not think Canada is a soveriegn state because they didn't bury their flag in the ground; please educate yourself. Canada received its soveriegnty from the United Kingdom in 1947 as a reward for our outstanding service in World War II.

According to history we are Sovereign because of our blood thirsty acts for England ; granted in 1947; Like England had that right to grant any thing ; Steven Harper isn't so much more evil than any one else in this our great misguided nation ; In fact The evil dictator is the head of the Vatican our soon to be Anti Christ ; Weather we want to believe it or not we are under the Rule of the Roman Empire and that's the real dilemma because are we the people going to stay blind to our mediated threat of annihilation ; Wouldn't it be grand if we could believe our history ; Wouldn't it be grand if we could believe the treaties of the Whites ; If nothing else I've learned that you can't believe a lier . So they say this movement isn't about taking back this land ; then some one please enlighten me ; are we all cowards ; will we be proud of our lieing leadership as our elders are taken from us on executive order, will we proud when are daughters are slaughtered under the age of 10 while others are chosen for breading stalk to mate with the wealthy ruling class ; Will we still be proud when rounded up like cattle by homeland security by way of more executive orders and stuck in F.E.M.A. camps like the one in fair banks that can accommodate Two million people ; We the people of North America need to do some real soul searching into priorities .
I have never in all my years witnessed such hatred towards Elders and homeless people ; it is like the world is conditioned for this day and just as scripture has claimed train up a child in the way he should go and he will never stray from that path ; The government's were the teachers by way of TV , radio and schools while we the people sat bye like stooges ; There is a time to turn the other cheek , There is time to fight , There is a time for every thing for this is what God all mighty the Great spirit has proclaimed he granted us the 7 spirits of which one is the spirit of might were one man shall chase 10 ,10 men shall chase a 100 and a hundred shall chase a 1,000 while a thousand shall chase 10's of thousands . We are Idle no more or we are full of crap do we want to end up like the Palestinians , we are headed in that direction , learn from them lets not waste time hear because time is running out Lol By Joseph A Stewart

I am only a metis BUT I stand by my brothers and sisters all over the world!
you're always in my heart and thoughts. Creator made us all,which means,he loves us all not one race better then the other!!!!!!

I've been busy investigating problems within our Nation and I've discovered some interesting facts with in our Court system ; I have been before the Courts since 2011 and have found if you defend yourself you may never get out of Court ; I've discovered the tactics that are used to totally Bankrupt the citizenry that would claim to be Sovereign rather then grant them justice and year 2013 has taken another turn for the worse ; I'm driving 20 hr's both ways to court and am now looking for a reserve who has a Court of law and will attempt to ask for change of venue their noeing full well I'll not receive justice in HaileyBury nor Timmins ; infact I'm told I can not use common law in these provincial courts ; Also the witnesses are four police officers who are hostile . They themselves are only a reflection of a much bigger picture and personally I have already suffered because of these officers ; taken off the road at gun point with out cause ; taken and given the option of jail or hospital because I had the flue then having a One Dr Smith from Tamiskaming hospital sign papers brought in bye the same officers who stopped me at gun point ; these new forms were to have me taken to Barrie's bay for treatment because Dr Smith upon seeing me for the second time claims me to be dangerous to the hospital to him and to the police regardless of the fact that I am on anti biotics oxagin and can't Evan get up to go to the bath room . I was taken off of my heart medicine and given massive doses of aspirin and Tylenol causing me to have a mild heart attack. I had hired a friend to drive take a train from Bellville to Cobalt get my vehickel out of storage and bring my true medical records to North Bay ; I was held long enough to see I didn't have stroke symptoms then finely realest ; Now these officers because of corporate policy has no responsibility for their actions and intend to testify against me in Court the 1'st of March claiming now that I was all over the road seen by a off duty officer in Latchford some 60 kilometers north of were I was stopped ; he also claimed this off duty officer was only a car length behind the arresting officer what a joke and a dangerous one your worship Kitler after pretrial was sympathetic to my being given a heart attack and did recognize that the officers were lieing but not only denied me right of common law but clearly advised That I couldn't win because of those corrupt witnesses . So I'm submitting this testimony to wake people up to the wide spread corruption hear in Canada ; I submitted a detailed report to a independent office of the so called privet sector who claims to investigate wrong doings of the police to find out that they are screened by the police as to who they can investigate and who not ; My case is on the do not investigate list Lol . Now if I lose any Canadian can be stopped for no reason incarcerated with out cause ; Evan killed in a mental institution and every thing is covered up .So if this is the kind of justice you want just ignore Idle No More and go on about your pathetic lives . We the people of Ontario Canada and the World over must wake up or pay the price of being twiddle ducks .

We the people are being denied our rights on a unprecedented scale ; For those of you who claim to be sovereign I would say good for you because many of us cant deny consent and wave the benefit with out being arrested and thrown in jail for failure to appear . We supposedly had a right to common law ; Now we have no right to nothing ; They the Judges put words in your mouth you did not say and claim that is for the record ; They sign documents on your behalf saying look what he has signed and all because we the people have no rights what so ever . It is said we were created as slave labor for the Gods ; well our so called Gods are now the Judiciary ; The police The corporate bodies of this world we exist in . If a thing is not good for the individual then it is not good for the majority ; Yet in this backward and corrupt world the authorities are always saying this or that is for the good of the many ; they rape our land and say it is for the good of the many they cannot investigate police wrong doing because it isn't in the interest of the many or it makes the force look bad ; well I would say it is about time they looked bad because they are bad . Lets start calling a Ace an ace and a spade a spade . Since when is justice not important ; since when are we to be slandered by those who say they are your worship or your justice when what they are is white washed trash that defiles there own oaths and looks down their noses at you like you are dirt . Every year becomes more corrupt than the one before it to the point that it shows blatantly ; If our laws have become that impossible to understand that we must hire expensive lawyers to defend us then our laws and justice and truth is just to complicated there fore unobtainable . If we the people want to live like this then so be it ; personally If there is a rally for peace for ones rights for decency for the environment, order or justice then knock on my door , see if I need a ride to the protest ; inquire if I have money enough to help barricade or pay for gas to help with a blockade ; because I am fed up and want to do my part ; I have not been Idle , I have been a victim like many others and it is time now to stand strong against our enemies .

Aaniin..... Dr.Bruce Pillow{Ojibwe-Cherokee from Indiana has entered into his 8 th day of his hunger srike. Pillow who lives in part time in London Ontario went on strike after the rally in Indianapolis,Indiana recently will travel to Ottawa on the 11th to hear the results from the meeting with the Prime Minister Harper.......

Now the bickering and the name calling starts as usual ; All my life I've heard it ; The pointing of the finger those who have pointing with wagging tongues ; Get a job ; quit taking hand outs ; his car is old and beat up there for he is a useless individual ; Yes this chief or that politician scammed the people out of every last penny of money's that should have been more than sufficient to make peoples lives happy and provide for their needs ; Why you treturous leches . Is it any wonder people through there hands up , commit suicide or simply stagnate in utter despair ; Point your disgusting finger all you want it isn't helping matters ; It isn't the colour of your Skin you need to be concerned about it is the coldness of your hearts . We have a brave Chief fasting to get a meeting with Harper. It worked ; I am happy for her I also no a common man can fast till he dies and no one cares it's on his or her own head . Our Government squanders more money than this whole Country could possibly consume ; We could be prosperous ; but the Greed of this nation is it's greatest enemy and not the so called useless people who can't Evan a ford to drive to a food bank ; I am so sick of the Canadian Imperialist attitude that is bringing this country to ruin ; The finger pointing never stops ; In all seriousness I do not believe for one second that this movement can do any good with out blood shed because that is the way of the world ; People will try and capitalize off this movement for financial gain I'm sure ; This movement has to be like no other before it or it will fall to criticism by the tongues of lieing disgusting individuals who would stupe at anything to make a dollar ; I hope and I pray that the people ; We the people will see things in a clear light and begin to use what force is necessary to get things back on track and that starts by tearing down the corporate structure that is a embarrassment and a blight on this Nation .